Israel Extradites Russian Orthodox Priest Charged With Child Abuse

A Russian Orthodox priest charged with sexually abusing minors has been extradited from Israel to Russia at the Russian prosecutor-general's request.

Spokesmen for the prosecutor said on September 7 that the criminal case against Gleb Grozovsky is being handled by a special investigative unit in St. Petersburg.

Grozovsky is accused of molesting several children under the age of 14 at an Orthodox children's camp on Konevets Island in the Priozersky district of the Leningrad region in the summer of 2011, when he was a clergyman at the Assumption Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo outside St. Petersburg.

Investigators said Grozovsky committed similar acts at an Orthodox children's camp in Greece in June 2013.

Russia issued an arrest warrant for him and declared him internationally wanted in October 2013.

Grozovsky had told Israeli authorities that he was posted to Israel, but the Gatchino diocese said his mission was terminated pending investigation In November 2013.